Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.
Dear Friends of All Saints and St Mary's
Sharing a message to go out with our weekly email can either come easily, or be more elusive. When stuck, it helps to ask, Whose voice or voices have stood out this week? Where are those people situated? What are they saying, and how might they be God’s messengers?
Three have caught my attention.
1) St.. Paul The words of Paul the apostle to the early Christians in Thessalonica (Sunday's 2nd reading) - stand out as a voice worth hearing in this week's world.
Beloved, you are not in darkness, for you are all children of light. Since we belong to the day, let us keep awake and be sober. Let us put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. Our Lord Jesus Christ, died for us, so that we may live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.
2) Canon Richard Sewell This morning BBC Radio 4 Today programme listeners heard a sober voice of courage from a dark place–Canon Richard Sewell speaking about the dangerous situation at the Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza. Founded as a Christian mission in 1882, it has been run by the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem since 1982. Their mission, as Canon Richard explained, is the ministry of Jesus Christ in treating the poorest, the most disadvantaged in a very poor country. We do not get involved in politics and rely entirely on international donations. We need power, we need supplies and we need open access for people who are in desperate need who are suffering. May God help, protect and resource them swiftly. More info here .
SERVICES THIS SUNDAY 19th NOVEMBER 2023 Readings: Zephaniah 1:7,12-18; 1Thessalonians 5:1-11; Matthew 25:14-30
10:00 | St Marys | Sung Holy Communion |
10:30 | All Saints | Holy Communion with Hymns |
SERVICES AND EVENTS IN THE WEEK AHEAD
Mon 20th Nov | 10:30 | All Saints | Tiny Tots |
Tues 21st Nov | 10:30 | St. Mary's | Music For Toddlers |
Weds 22d Nov | 09:00 | | Celtic Prayers |
Thurs 23rd Nov | 10:00 | St. Mary's | Holy Communion |
Sat 25th Nov | 08:30 | St. Mary's | Family Breakfasts |
| 12:00 | St. Mary's | Saturday Lunches |
SERVICES NEXT SUNDAY 26th NOVEMBER 2023 Christ the King Sunday
8.00 | All Saints | Said Holy Communion |
10:00 | St Marys | Sung Holy Communion |
10:30 | All Saints | Cafe Church: Christ the King |
16:30 | All Saints | Christingle Service |
LOOKING AHEAD
Advent Bible Study –
Please see the posters for Advent groups this year. Tuesday Evening (7.30-9pm) and Wednesday (2-3.30pm) Starts week of 28th/29th November. Please speak to Revd Diane, Kester or Lizzie for information.
(Continued from above)
Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.
3) The Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally
Another voice of faith echoing St.Paul's sentiments this week was that of the Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, in her closing speech at General Synod. She encouraged the church, despite differences, to keep on 'seeking understanding of one another, of our faith tradition in the spirit of openness and deep mutual respect'. She illustrated this attitude with a beautiful quote from Cole Arthur Riley's book This Here Flesh: To be able to marvel at the face of our neighbour with the same awe we have for the mountain top and the sunlight reflecting, this manner of vision is what will keep us from destroying each other. The Bishop of London concluded, 'Let us choose not to destroy one another, but truly to encounter one another to dare to see God's image in each other, to embrace each other without judgement, to rejoice in the gift of one another's different understanding, to be one body, however messy, and by doing this know that God is in this place.'
May Bishop Sarah's words inspire prayer and action for the healing of distress far and near, including that faced by residents of Barton House in neighbouring Barton Hill and all supporting them to find new accommodation after their evacuation for safety.
Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing.
Every blessing, Revd Diane (curate)
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